Throwing Rocks; Bulls Need One More

Wrap, Box, Herald-Sun, N&O, Indianapolis

The classic structure of a 3-act play is: Act One - put characters up a tree; Act Two - throw rocks at them; Act Three - get them out of the tree. If the Indians were the protagonists of this play, the rocks came early and they never did get out of the tree.

The rock throwing started on the first pitch in the bottom of the 1st inning. J.D. Martin had had an easy 6-pitch, 1-2-3 top of the inning. The Indians' Graham Godfrey's first pitch to Tim Beckham, however, was hit for a double (note: Beckham was first pitch swinging and hitting on Wednesday night as well). Four hitters, four hits (double, double, single, double), three runs, and Godfrey was out of the game with an ERA of ∞. The next pitcher who came in gave up a homer to Leslie Anderson. Five runs on five hits.

After that, things got quiet until a small flurry in the Indianapolis 7th when Martin gave up a single and then home run (to Jerry Sands, more later). In the Bulls 7th the 2013 Bulls showed up. That's the team that doesn't let an oppenent's mistake go unpunished. This time it was an error that let Kevin Kiermaier get on base (note: just letting Kiermaier get on base at all is usually a mistake). Kiermaier moved to 2B on a perfect sacrifice bunt by Craig Albernaz and came home on a single by Cole Figueroa.

That run was the edge the Bulls won by because in the top of the 9th second home run by Indy's Jerry Sands off Steve Geltz brought in three runs. Kirby Yates, however, came in again, walked one batter, then struck out the side.

I watched the 9th from the top of the Monster and it was fun to sense the enthusiasm of Bulls fans. Was the crowd a bit on the small side? You bet. But they surely knew what was going on and responded to that bit of high drama.

Outside the game —

• An hour or so after the game the Bulls got on the bus for an overnight ride to Indianapolis. I was surprised to hear the radio commentators agree that an overnight bus ride is a player-prefered option to an early-morning flight. That's what the Indians will be doing to get home for today's game. By the way, tonight's starter Merrill Kelly flew up yesterday.
• As much as I kvetch about local coverage of the Bulls, Indianapolis newspaper coverage seems worse (if internet presence is a measure). With the Colts and the Pacers and college basketball and football on tap (and Indiana is as obsessed with college basketball as North Carolina) I had to dig to get an Indians story. On the other hand, they draw good crowds in the regular season.
• The Bulls bullpen situation worries me. I think they are getting too much rest. Going into tonight's game here's how many days since they last pitched: De Los Santos - 6, Sandoval - 6, Lara - 6, Liberator - 5, Riefenhauser - 4, Romero - 4. I'm sure all these guys have their routines, but the focus that getting ready to go into a game must make a difference. Is that what put Geltz off his game last night?
• Speaking of Steve Geltz, he got some love over at the MLB trade rumors site, which bills him as the top prospect among relievers in minor league ball. 
• Pawtucket beat Rochester last night to even things up in the other Governors' Cup playoffs. Wrap
• Not sure if Crash was being a gentleman last night or not, but unless the Bulls win and come back for two more games, he and Annie are tied for the season. Nuke, of course, never had a chance.

Fun to watch Anderson's home run. Recall that at this moment there was a runner on base (Belnome), the Indians starting pitcher had just left the game after giving up three runs, and there were no outs.